Deadline Date: March 15, 2026
The Mercatus Center is seeking applications for its Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship Program to offer graduate students a variety of disciplines and programs all over the world.
The aim of this fellowship is to introduce students to the Austrian, Virginia and Bloomington schools of political economy as academic foundations for contemporary policy analysis, policy-relevant academic research and other applied topics.
Through this fellowship, participants engage in a series of colloquia where they interact with Mercatus scholars actively working on policy analysis and policy-relevant academic research.
The program emphasizes how these schools of political economy are applied across a wide range of topics, including entrepreneurship, technological innovation, public health, regulation, immigration, natural disasters and military conflicts and federal and state fiscal policy. This exposure allows fellows to understand how theoretical frameworks are connected to real-world policy challenges.
Fellows also become part of a broader network of Mercatus students, alumni and scholars who are involved in conducting and engaging with cutting-edge research in contemporary political economy. This academic community provides an environment for intellectual exchange and continued engagement beyond the fellowship year.
The fellowship provides a total award of up to $5,000, which includes a stipend, all required readings and travel and lodging to attend colloquia hosted by the Mercatus Center, ensuring that fellows can fully participate in all program activities.
The Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship is open to graduate students enrolled in master’s, juris doctoral and doctoral programs across various disciplines, including economics, law, political science and public policy. Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program at any university and in any discipline to be eligible.
